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American Morning
Democratic Presidential Debate
Aired February 16, 2004 - 08:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: As they have in previous debates, the Democratic presidential contenders treated one another with kid gloves during their pre-primary debate last night in Wisconsin. But they took the gloves off when it came to talking about the president.
CNN's Bob Franken joins us live from Milwaukee this morning with more -- hey, Bob, good morning.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
And a lot of the talk now is about Howard Dean. I can tell you directly and many of the other reporters can tell you directly that his top aides are making it clear that there is a growing feeling that Dean has to consider pulling out or pulling back from his campaign stance, particularly if he does poorly in Wisconsin.
Dean, of course, has repeatedly said he is in this no matter how he does in this state. And it became an interesting issue last night in the debate. Dean, who has oftentimes gone after John Kerry for what he's characterized as special interest contributions that Kerry has received, was given the chance to do it again when he commented -- was asked to comment on the Bush side's ads, which depict Kerry as somebody who has gotten special interest money.
And Dean soft-pedaled that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think George Bush has some nerve attacking anybody about special interests. Not only has he funded his campaign through special interests, but George Bush is systematically looting the American treasury and giving it to his friends, the pharmaceutical companies, the HMOs and the insurance companies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: So, there was Howard Dean being gentle with John Kerry. But he's in the race, he says, no matter what happens here.
John Edwards insists he, too, will continue. As a matter of fact, he took issue with John Kerry saying that Kerry was fighting Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Senator Kerrey just said he will beat George Bush. Not so fast, John Kerry. We're going to have an election here in Wisconsin this Tuesday and we've got a whole group of primaries coming up. And I, for one, intend to fight with everything I've got for every one of those votes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: So, what we have is John Kerry way ahead in the polls here, but candidates Edwards and Dean saying they are going to continue to stay in this race. Perhaps, Soledad, it has something to do with the fact that before we get to Super Tuesday, there's a primary next week in Hawaii.
O'BRIEN: You think so, Bob?
All right, Bob Franken for us this morning in Milwaukee.
FRANKEN: Well, this...
O'BRIEN: I know what you're thinking.
Thanks, Bob.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 16, 2004 - 08:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: As they have in previous debates, the Democratic presidential contenders treated one another with kid gloves during their pre-primary debate last night in Wisconsin. But they took the gloves off when it came to talking about the president.
CNN's Bob Franken joins us live from Milwaukee this morning with more -- hey, Bob, good morning.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
And a lot of the talk now is about Howard Dean. I can tell you directly and many of the other reporters can tell you directly that his top aides are making it clear that there is a growing feeling that Dean has to consider pulling out or pulling back from his campaign stance, particularly if he does poorly in Wisconsin.
Dean, of course, has repeatedly said he is in this no matter how he does in this state. And it became an interesting issue last night in the debate. Dean, who has oftentimes gone after John Kerry for what he's characterized as special interest contributions that Kerry has received, was given the chance to do it again when he commented -- was asked to comment on the Bush side's ads, which depict Kerry as somebody who has gotten special interest money.
And Dean soft-pedaled that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think George Bush has some nerve attacking anybody about special interests. Not only has he funded his campaign through special interests, but George Bush is systematically looting the American treasury and giving it to his friends, the pharmaceutical companies, the HMOs and the insurance companies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: So, there was Howard Dean being gentle with John Kerry. But he's in the race, he says, no matter what happens here.
John Edwards insists he, too, will continue. As a matter of fact, he took issue with John Kerry saying that Kerry was fighting Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Senator Kerrey just said he will beat George Bush. Not so fast, John Kerry. We're going to have an election here in Wisconsin this Tuesday and we've got a whole group of primaries coming up. And I, for one, intend to fight with everything I've got for every one of those votes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: So, what we have is John Kerry way ahead in the polls here, but candidates Edwards and Dean saying they are going to continue to stay in this race. Perhaps, Soledad, it has something to do with the fact that before we get to Super Tuesday, there's a primary next week in Hawaii.
O'BRIEN: You think so, Bob?
All right, Bob Franken for us this morning in Milwaukee.
FRANKEN: Well, this...
O'BRIEN: I know what you're thinking.
Thanks, Bob.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
